Dual Credit & Running Start
Dual Credit
Mascoutah High School offers dual credit opportunities through Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) as well as St. Louis University.
SWIC
Dual credit is a SWIC-high school partnership program, where qualified students can earn college credit and high school credit in the same class. College classes are taught at the high school by SWIC-approved high school instructors using college curriculum. Dual credit classes include Advanced Microsoft Applications, Web Essentials, Audio Video Production 1 and Cultural Anthropology. These classes are free of charge. Grades earned in these classes will be placed onto a SWIC transcript and count towards a college GPA.
SLU
The 1818 Advanced College Credit program through SLU, allows students to get a head start on a college career by earning dual credit. SLU does charge a nominal fee per credit hour. Grades earned in these classes will be placed onto a SLU transcript and count towards a college GPA. Current courses available through SLU include:
- HIST 2600: History of the United States to 1865
- HIST 2610: History of the United States Since 1865
- HIST 1110: European History Origins of the Modern World To 1600
- HIST 1120: European History Origins of the Modern World Since 1600
- English 1500: The Process of Composition
- English 1900: Advanced Strategies of Rhetoric and Research
- English 2250: Conflict, Social Justice, and Literature
- English 2850: Nation, Identity, and Literature
- Chemistry 1110/1115: General Chemistry 1/Chemistry Lab 1
- Chemistry 1120/1125: General Chemistry 2/Chemistry Lab 2
- Math 1300: Statistics (full year at MHS=one semester SLU)
- Math 1400: Pre-Calculus (full year at MHS=one semester SLU)
- Math 1400: Honors Pre-Calculus (full year at MHS=one semester SLU)
- Math 1510: Calculus (full year at MHS=one semester at SLU)
Running Start
Eligibility for the program includes completion of Advanced Geometry, Advanced Algebra 2 and a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher by the end of a student's sophomore year. The student must also pass a placement test prior to enrolling in the program. A meeting will be held for eligible students in late January of each year.
Running Start 2.0
This is a program that allows juniors to earn a high school diploma while simultaneously earning an Associate's Degree from SWIC. It is a 2-year program that is not able to be completed early.
Running Start 1.0
This is a program that allows seniors to earn a full year of college credits while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. At the completion of the 1-year program, students can remain at SWIC to complete their Associate's Degree, or they may transfer the credits to another college or university.